Scottish independence: Referendum deal struck by Cameron and Salmond

David Cameron and
Alex Salmond have signed a deal granting the Scottish government the power to hold a referendum on independence.

Alex Salmond (left) and David Cameron sign the referendum agreement at St Andrew’s House in Edinbugh (Picture: Getty)

The UK prime minister and the Scottish first minister signed the so-called Edinburgh Agreement at St Andrew’s House, activating a legal mechanism allocating constitutional powers to Holyrood.

Under the terms of today’s deal, agreed after weeks of negotiations, the single-question yes/no referendum will be held in autumn 2014, with 16- and 17-year-olds permitted to vote.

Both governments are also committed to working together constructively in the best interests of people in Scotland regardless of the referendum’s outcome.

The exact wording of the referendum question is yet to be decided, however, while a second ‘devo-max’ question has been scrapped.

Mr Cameron said although he was ‘passionate’ about the Union, the referendum was about ‘showing respect’ to the Scottish electorate after Mr Salmond’s Scottish National Party won a landslide election victory last year.

The signing of the referendum agreement follows months of intense negotiations (Picture: Reuters)

‘I passionately hope and believe they will vote to keep the UK together; we are better off, stronger and safer together,’ the prime minister told journalists.

‘This marks the beginning of an important chapter in Scotland’s story and allows the real debate to begin,’ he said earlier

‘It paves the way so that the biggest question of all can be settled: a separate Scotland or a United Kingdom? I will be making a very positive argument for our United Kingdom.’

Mr Salmond added: ‘The agreement will see Scotland take an important step toward independence, and the means to create a fairer and more prosperous Scotland. I look forward to working positively for a yes vote in 2014.’